Heavenly Prison.
“Big brother, can I only take one? The four children—I carried each of them for ten months, risking my life again and again to give birth to them! Brother, I beg you—”
Madam Zhao looked haggard as she rushed to the cell door, gripping the wooden bars tightly, gazing pleadingly at the finely dressed man standing opposite.
“Remember the official website domain: twkan.com”
“If it were possible, I would take them all. They are all my own nieces and nephews.”
“You should know, sister, that this Jiangnan salt tax case has shocked the entire court. Wang Yong, as one of the main culprits, committed crimes that are far too serious.”
“As for the nieces, that’s one thing—they are just girls. His Majesty might turn a blind eye out of consideration for the Zhao and Wang families’ ancestors who helped the founding emperor establish the dynasty.”
“But the two nephews are already of age and heirs of a marquis household. His Majesty will not easily forgive them! Even for the nieces, I’m not confident I can take them all—I… I can only take one!”
Zhao Chang, the heir of the Duke of Wei, said no more.
He glanced at his sister and at his two nieces—Wang Jiao and Wang Si.
Wang Jiao sat kneeling on a pile of dry straw, looking somewhat dazed.
Wang Si, meanwhile, shrank into a corner, her gaze also unfocused.
Sigh… thirteen-year-old girls, at an age that should be lively and full of spirit.
He remembered the last time he saw them, they had been chattering endlessly over a piece of pastry and a hairpin.
Back then, he thought them willful. Now, he only felt that was how they should have been, and Zhao Chang missed those days dearly.
Unfortunately, with the fall of the Marquis of Wuchang’s household, such happy times would never return.
“…”
Madam Zhao wept silently, unable to utter a single word.
As a mother, both sides of her palm were flesh.
How could she choose?
The two daughters were twins, born within moments of each other.
No matter whom she chose, she would be betraying the other.
Still, Madam Zhao knew her brother had already done his best.
As a daughter who had been married for over a decade, her husband’s crimes had implicated the entire Marquis of Wuchang’s household—stripped of title, their property confiscated, and the whole clan to be exiled.
At such a critical moment, her natal family, the Duke of Wei’s household, was still willing to save her and even allow her to take one child with her—this was already no small kindness.
She could not be ungrateful.
But if she could only take one, whom should she choose?
“Ajiao? Asi?”
Madam Zhao turned her head and looked between her two daughters with great difficulty.
Her voice was hoarse as she asked, “You two… who—who will go with Mother?”
The other female prisoners in the cell revealed expressions of envy, jealousy, resentment, and indignation.
Leaving with Madam Zhao meant escaping this filthy prison—no rats, no vermin, no rancid slop, and no need to endure the long and grueling journey of exile.
Wang Si was still in a daze, but Wang Jiao suddenly cried out first, “No! Mother, I don’t want to go with you!”
Everyone was startled and turned to look at her.
“Ajiao, what are you saying? If you don’t go with me, do you want to be exiled?”
Madam Zhao was already struggling to choose between her daughters, and Wang Jiao’s refusal shocked her even more.
This child—did she not understand what was good for her?
Or was she too young to know the hardships outside?
Exile!
This was not a picnic or an outing—it meant wearing shackles, walking over a thousand li under the blazing sun and pouring rain, driven forward like livestock by whips and sticks.
From Zhao Chang, the Wang family already knew they would be exiled to a northern frontier city thousands of miles away.
Not to mention the harsh cold of the frontier and the constant threat of invasion—just the journey itself might be more than they could endure.
Especially for the elderly, the weak, women, and children.
And for girls like Wang Jiao and Wang Si, only twelve or thirteen years old.
They might be young, but they had already come of age.
And both were—
Madam Zhao did not dare imagine what her daughters might suffer on the road if they were exiled.
It was precisely because of these fears that she wanted to take both daughters away.
Her words completely snapped Wang Jiao out of her daze.
She bit hard on her cheek—hiss, it hurt.
So this wasn’t a dream! I… I really came back!
Back to the third day after the Wang family was imprisoned, back to the eve of exile.
It’s not too late!
There’s still a chance to change fate!
She would not repeat the tragedy of her previous life. She absolutely could not choose wrong this time.
Wang Jiao raised her head firmly and looked at Madam Zhao.
“Mother, I said I don’t want to go with you!”
Taking a deep breath, she suddenly remembered the good reputation Wang Si gained in her previous life by being exiled with the Wang family.
She quickly added, “Mother, the Duke of Wei’s household may be good, but it’s not my home!”
“My surname is Wang. I am a daughter of the Marquis of Wuchang’s family! Now that the Wang family is in disaster, how can I abandon Grandmother, Father, and my brothers?”
As she spoke, her thoughts became clearer.
To achieve her goal, Wang Jiao even used her own mother as a stepping stone:
“Mother, I’m not like you—flying apart when disaster strikes, abandoning your husband and children for your own comfort and wealth!”
“I, Wang Jiao, will never follow a selfish and cold-hearted mother like you. I will stay with Grandmother and Father and serve my elders properly!”
That’s right. She would not follow Madam Zhao.
In her previous life, she had feared exile and suffering. When her mother hesitated, unable to choose, she relied on the elders’ favoritism and insisted on going with her.
She returned with her mother to the Duke of Wei’s household and began living under someone else’s roof.
As an unwanted burden, not only her cousins but even the servants of the duke’s household dared to give her attitude.
Whether it was fortune or misfortune, a year later, her mother remarried.
She followed her mother to her stepfather’s home.
Wang Jiao thought she had escaped suffering, but instead, she fell from a wolf’s den into a tiger’s lair.
Her stepfather and four stepbrothers were all harsh people. Every day, they either forced rules upon her or made her copy texts endlessly.
Day and night, her eyes nearly went blind, and her once soft, fair fingers became covered in thick calluses.
It was bad enough they forced her to do things she disliked—they also refused to let her socialize.
In the capital’s gatherings and garden parties, even when she received invitations, her stepfather always found reasons to stop her.
Wang Jiao grew to hate them deeply.
But what ultimately drove a wedge between her and her stepfather’s family was her marriage.
After she came of age, her stepfather pretended to arrange matches for her.
Out of so many noble and prestigious young men, he chose instead a poor young man from a declining family.
He claimed the family merely fell on hard times but had strict values.
He also said the man was talented and would surely achieve great success in the future.
Wang Jiao didn’t believe a word. She knew her stepfather was a hypocrite—sweet on the outside, cruel within. Since she wasn’t his biological daughter, he had no intention of finding her a good match.
She argued fiercely with her stepfather and stepbrothers, even causing her mother to faint from anger.
Perhaps realizing his scheme was exposed, her stepfather stopped interfering and allowed her to choose—the youngest legitimate son of the Grand Princess.
Wang Jiao married into the princess’s household, but within three years, she “died of illness.”
Locked in a small courtyard, with no one around, no food, no charcoal—even getting a sip of water was impossible.
After enduring endless torment, she died miserably, and even after death, she was used by her husband to maintain his image as a devoted man.
On her deathbed, Wang Jiao cursed her scumbag husband and vicious mother-in-law, while also filled with regret:
I was wrong!
I should never have chosen to follow Mother!
I should have gone into exile with the Wang family. Then I could have been like Wang Si—wealthy and glorious.
Wang Si!
At the thought of her twin sister, jealousy and resentment filled Wang Jiao’s eyes.
She tried hard not to look at Wang Si, yet images of Wang Si’s prosperity in her previous life flashed through her mind.
“She actually became Empress!”
“And the young general of the Zhe family, who commanded great armies, never forgot her. Even after she married and had children, Zhe Congjie was still willing to silently watch over her!”
Thinking of this, Wang Jiao’s determination to go into exile—to seize Wang Si’s life—grew even stronger.
She raised her hand and pointed at Wang Si in the corner.
“Mother, let Wang Si go with you!”
“She’s the younger sister. As the elder sister, it’s only right that I give way to her!”
Chapter 2: Mother, I’ll Go With You!
A trace of crazed malice flickered in Wang Jiao’s eyes:
Let Wang Si go to the Duke of Wei’s household and live under others’ control, be restrained by her stepfather and stepbrothers, and be married off either to some poor, declining man—or to that beast of a husband in the princess’s residence.
As for Wang Si’s emperor husband and her young general first love—those would all be taken over by her, Wang Jiao.
She would meet Zhe Congjie, who was stationed at the frontier, then get acquainted with Prince An, who had also been exiled there, and eventually return to the capital to become the most honored woman in the world.
Wang Si was startled awake by Wang Jiao’s voice, slowly processing her words.
She actually didn’t want to go with Mother, but instead was fighting to go into exile?
A thought stirred, and the confusion in Wang Si’s eyes faded, replaced by a trace of interest:
Oh? Wang Jiao, my dear sister… has also been reborn.
“Elder Sister, how can you say that! Mother is not a selfish or cold-hearted person.”
Wang Si steadied herself, keeping the innocence and purity expected of her age on her face.
Unable to tolerate her twin sister’s slander of their mother, she said indignantly, “Father accepted bribes from salt merchants and even helped hide account books and stolen money. When Mother found out, she tried her best to persuade him, but instead of listening, Father scolded her for being unvirtuous and narrow-minded!”
“All these years, Father has humiliated Mother again and again for the sake of his concubine. Mother endured it all for the sake of us siblings!”
“Now that the Wang family has fallen, Grandfather and Uncle have spent countless silver and favors just to protect Mother, and they are even willing to let her take one of us!”
“You may be an ungrateful wretch, but you cannot disregard propriety and filial piety by slandering and insulting Mother!”
Wang Si stood up. After three days in prison—barely eating or sleeping, living in constant fear—her already slender body swayed slightly.
She forced herself to steady and walked firmly to Madam Zhao’s side.
Taking her hand, she said, “Mother, I know you haven’t been happy in the Marquis of Wuchang’s household.”
“For the sake of us siblings, you’ve endured so much suffering and grievance.”
“The Wang family’s downfall is not your fault. You shouldn’t have to be buried with them, nor should you hurt Grandfather and Uncle, who care for you so deeply.”
“Sixth Sister has been spoiled and is thoughtless. Please don’t take her words to heart.”
Wang Si looked at Madam Zhao with both a daughter’s devotion and a maturity beyond her years.
Madam Zhao’s heart had been pierced with pain by her eldest daughter’s words.
Now, feeling her younger daughter’s support, her wounded heart found some comfort.
“Hmph! Wang Si, you speak so nicely. If that’s the case, then you go with Mother!”
“Yes, I’m an ungrateful wretch! But I am still a proud daughter of the Wang family. I don’t care for the wealth of the Duke of Wei’s household—I will go into exile with Grandmother, Father, and the others!”
Wang Jiao stood up as well, pushing Wang Si as she spoke.
“Enough!”
Zhao Chang frowned at the scene.
His gaze toward Wang Jiao turned cold.
It was true he could only let his sister take one daughter, but that didn’t mean he intended to abandon the others.
He had already prepared a thousand taels in banknotes, planning to secretly give them to the three children.
The road to exile was unimaginably harsh—having money would at least spare them some suffering.
But now, Zhao Chang regretted it. He wanted to change his plan.
He would not give out the money—for now.
At the very least, he would not give any to Wang Jiao.
Heh, this daughter of the Wang family seemed to look down on the Duke of Wei’s household.
Since she was so proud, she should remain proud to the end.
Giving her money would only insult her, wouldn’t it?
Even the two nephews in the neighboring male prison—Zhao Chang intended to observe them as well.
If they were like Wang Jiao—heartless, recognizing only their father and not their mother—then as their uncle, he would not meddle further.
“Little sister, since A’Jiao is unwilling, don’t force her.”
“Just take A’Si. She is the youngest, and she is obedient and sensible.”
Zhao Chang spoke in a firm tone, his gaze resolute.
This was not a discussion—it was an order.
“… ”
Sniffling, Madam Zhao was still a mother after all.
Though her eldest daughter’s words had hurt her deeply, she could not truly abandon her.
Wiping her tears with her sleeve, she looked deeply at Wang Jiao and Wang Si.
“A’Jiao, A’Si, I’ll give you one last chance. Which of you will go with Mother?”
Wang Jiao answered first again: “I won’t go with you! I’m going into exile!”
Her voice carried excitement and eagerness.
As if what she was seizing was not a terrifying punishment, but some great opportunity.
Wang Si sneered inwardly: My dear sister, do you really think I lived so well in my previous life just because I chose the right path?
Exile was never any kind of opportunity.
If she hadn’t transmigrated and possessed her special advantage, she would have died long ago on that road.
And those people of the Wang family were no loving relatives—they were ungrateful, heartless beasts.
In her previous life, she had given so much for them, even risking exposure of her greatest secret—but how had they repaid her?
Although they ultimately failed in their schemes, her heart and feelings had still been wounded.
Now that she had a second chance, even if Wang Jiao didn’t try to seize it, Wang Si would never entangle herself with the Wang family again.
What she hadn’t expected was that Wang Jiao had also been reborn—and was scrambling to go into exile, mistaking wolves for good people.
Fine. Then I’ll grant your wish.
Wang Si lifted her head, her beautiful peach blossom eyes shining.
“Mother, I’ll go with you!”